Why only Turing? Many, many tens of thousands of gay men have been convicted for behaviour that was once against the law. Tens of thousands of careers, reputations and lives have been ruined. Innumerable suicides have resulted. As late as the 1980s, as an MP, I was campaigning against the Metropolitan Police’s use of “pretty policemen” to entrap and prosecute gay men. I encountered tragic cases — lives wrecked. The law was wrong but the law was the law. There is everything to regret, nothing to pardon and nothing to be done.

To the question “Why only Turing?” there is only one honest answer: because of what he achieved in his life. But are we saying that pardoning a crime which should never have been a crime is open only to those who’ve done remarkable things in their life? Is that really upholding the principle of equality before the law?

While Turing was dealt with under the law of the time, and we can’t put the clock back, his treatment was of course utterly unfair, and I am pleased to have the chance to say how deeply sorry I and we all are for what happened to him. Alan and the many thousands of other gay men who were convicted, as he was convicted, under homophobic laws, were treated terribly.

My naked run down Whitehall…

He promised on a past DP to run naked along Whitehall if Lib Dem numbers were slashed in the general election. We have reminded him of the pledge before, but did blogger Stephen Tall deliver? Here's his film on Wednesday's DP.